Fri Jan 10 07:00:42 UTC 2025: ## L&T Chairman Faces Backlash After Suggesting 90-Hour Work Weeks, Revealing ₹51 Crore Salary

**Mumbai, India** – Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman SN Subrahmanyan is facing intense criticism following controversial remarks urging employees to work 90-hour weeks and the revelation of his own ₹51 crore (approximately $6.2 million USD) annual salary.

Subrahmanyan’s compensation for the 2023-24 fiscal year comprised a base salary of ₹3.6 crore, prerequisites of ₹1.67 crore, a commission of ₹35.28 crore, and retirement benefits of ₹10.5 crore. This figure is a staggering 534.57 times the median salary of L&T employees, which stands at ₹9.55 lakh (approximately $115,000 USD). His salary also represents a 43.11% increase from the previous year.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced online showing Subrahmanyan suggesting employees should work on Sundays, comparing them to Chinese workers who, he claimed, put in 90-hour weeks. His comments, made during an employee interaction about the company’s Saturday work schedule, sparked outrage on social media. Celebrities and public figures joined the criticism, highlighting the vast disparity between Subrahmanyan’s earnings and those of average L&T employees.

Many online commentators pointed out the hypocrisy of demanding such long hours from employees while earning a significantly higher salary that affords him more leisure time. The criticism extended beyond social media, with Google searches for “L&T chairman” spiking significantly following the release of the video.

In response to the widespread backlash, L&T issued a statement defending Subrahmanyan’s remarks, framing them as reflecting the company’s commitment to “nation-building” and the need for “extraordinary effort” to achieve ambitious goals. However, the statement has done little to quell the growing criticism. The incident has ignited a broader debate about work-life balance and executive compensation in India.

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